as in cowed
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as in intimidated
to make timid or fearful by or as if by threats
the judge warned the attorney that hectoring the witness with aggressive questioning would not be allowed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hectored
Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Jason Sudeikis, Robert Smigel, and George Wendt hectored Kelce to (1) make Taylor pony up for a new stadium and (2) propose already.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
For over a century, citizens have been surveilled while the media is harassed and hectored into compromise, so that the official rhetoric of Slavic suprematism can go unchallenged.
—Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
Jason Sudeikis, Robert Smigel, and George Wendt hectored Kelce to (1) make Taylor pony up for a new stadium and (2) propose already.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hectored
Verb
-
Don’t be intimidated by a dirty liner.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
One of the first things beginners get intimidated by on a motorcycle is its weight.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Audiences who endured the Miramax era have been browbeaten to believe that the best picture Oscar should go to a period piece that chokes out a sob from audiences.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Not to the extent that the user is necessarily being browbeaten.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Before competing on Big Brother season 24, Hale won Miss Michigan USA and Miss Congeniality in Miss USA 2021, which became a point of contention when her fellow competitors bullied her for coming off as too much of a pageant queen.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
Awoniyi and Jesus jointly bullied Tosin and Chalobah whenever Forest kicked long.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
The body pointed to the fact that Iran’s Farabi cinema body, which oversees the country’s submission, was directly controlled by the hardline Islamic Republic regime government, which in turn has suppressed freedom of speech and brutally oppressed filmmakers across its 47 years in power.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
4 May 2026
-
Al-Mousawi, of the historically oppressed Shia Muslim faith, was previously detained and had served about 11 years as a political prisoner following arrests across the region in the wake of the Arab Spring, said Alwadaei of BIRD.—
Jane Lytvynenko,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Lord in your convent frightened me, Jesus with his bloody palms and gaping mouth, eyes rolled back in terror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
Lee Cronin was both flattered and frightened when Jason Blum suggested titling his The Mummy reimagining as Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This version includes crushed pineapple, cottage cheese, and an unexpected touch of horseradish.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
-
He was hardly injured in the bridge collapse and managed to treat a family of four in a crushed car, who all survived thanks to his expertise as a longtime trauma surgeon.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Setting expectations for a downtrodden player’s next season isn’t always easy, even when there’s an explanation for the statistical dropoff.—
Al Melchior,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Wonder if there's a former Alabama defensive coach looking to be a coordinator for a downtrodden NFC East franchise.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hectored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hectored. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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